Colt LE6940 Scope Recommendations - 500m Shot

[Dahart85]

Fairly new to the AR scope market, spent most of the last 10 years on iron sights and I am sick of them. Starting to work on distance shooting more to develop that skill.

Looking for recommendations for a Colt LE6940 as far as scope options. I checked a few sites and several threads on these forums particularly that gave hints of things to look at but not enough for me to be confident they're what I want.

Two ranges of cost available depending on value of moving categories, just looking for a $0-$1000 recommendation and a $1001-$2000 recommendation. If you want to add a "pie in the sky" scope, would be fun to look at and dream. Like looking at a high-end Lambo you know you can't buy.

I would like to be able to see what I'm aiming at during mid-day with sun high in the sky and the goal is approximately a 500m shot into a target. No short range requirements, I'll eventually just get a good reflex for playing at that range.

Any help/insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated. This is the best place to ask the people who actually use them, sick of reading information from the people selling them.

Also, if there is more information I can provide to help gather your opinions, please feel free to ask. Thanks in advance for your help.

[Crow Hunter]

Fairly new to the AR scope market, spent most of the last 10 years on iron sights and I am sick of them. Starting to work on distance shooting more to develop that skill.

Looking for recommendations for a Colt LE6940 as far as scope options. I checked a few sites and several threads on these forums particularly that gave hints of things to look at but not enough for me to be confident they're what I want.

Two ranges of cost available depending on value of moving categories, just looking for a $0-$1000 recommendation and a $1001-$2000 recommendation. If you want to add a "pie in the sky" scope, would be fun to look at and dream. Like looking at a high-end Lambo you know you can't buy.

I would like to be able to see what I'm aiming at during mid-day with sun high in the sky and the goal is approximately a 500m shot into a target. No short range requirements, I'll eventually just get a good reflex for playing at that range.

Any help/insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated. This is the best place to ask the people who actually use them, sick of reading information from the people selling them.

Also, if there is more information I can provide to help gather your opinions, please feel free to ask. Thanks in advance for your help.

Welcome to the forum. Not really in the right section.

That being said, you need to give details on what you are planning on shooting at 500 yards first.

If you are trying to hit a bus sized target at 500 yards, you probably won't need a magnified optic.

If you are trying to hit something the size of a grapefruit on the first shot, you are going to need a very nice optic, very good ammunition, and a lot of practice and probably a little luck.

[Dahart85]

Eyes apparently missed the one obviously titled Mounts and Optics, haha. Thanks. Will see if I can delete this and move it.

[Failure2Stop]

Eyes apparently missed the one obviously titled Mounts and Optics, haha. Thanks. Will see if I can delete this and move it.

Moved per request.

[Dahart85]

Thank you! Couldn't find how to delete it, haha.

Intended target would be about the size of a person, maybe slightly smaller.

[Failure2Stop]

Welcome to the forum. Not really in the right section.

That being said, you need to give details on what you are planning on shooting at 500 yards first.

If you are trying to hit a bus sized target at 500 yards, you probably won't need a magnified optic.

If you are trying to hit something the size of a grapefruit on the first shot, you are going to need a very nice optic, very good ammunition, and a lot of practice and probably a little luck.

This.

Also needs performance envelope and identification requirements.

Defining the smallest target you need to hit at specific distances (since rarely does one use a setup at only one distance) helps a lot in determining what is going to help you do what you need to get done.

[Dahart85]

Defining the smallest target you need to hit at specific distances (since rarely does one use a setup at only one distance) helps a lot in determining what is going to help you do what you need to get done.

Smallest would be about person-size at 500m. That is the only target I care about hitting right now. Anything shorter I want I can iron sight and anything longer I don't want to spend the money to upgrade everything required.

[Zane1844]

So for an ACOG has been good for me at around 500 yards. That takes the best of my ability, though.

Like most know you can use the BDC to judge the distance of your target if it is a man, or man sized silhouette.

[Failure2Stop]

Smallest would be about person-size at 500m. That is the only target I care about hitting right now. Anything shorter I want I can iron sight and anything longer I don't want to spend the money to upgrade everything required.

This actually gets into a tricky set of factors.

Where do you want to hit them? Is a shot anywhere on a silhouette acceptable, or do you want to be able to consistently place shots within the vital areas of the torso/head? What are you considering to be "person-sized"?

How easy to see is this "person-sized" target? Is it a big, bold, black silhouette on a white background, or is it a camouflaged individual that isn't eager to be shot?

For reference, Marines have been shooting "man-sized" silhouettes on a white background with iron-sighted M16s since the 1960s for rifle qualification, and with M4s in more recent years. In competition, that distance is increased to 600 yards and the target is a 36" black circle.



Change that target to something a bit more realistic in acceptable size, such as the MGM BCCZ:



Which replicates the "B" and "C" zones of an IPSC target:



Something in the 3-4x range will generally be acceptable.

If the target is not in contrast with the background or if you need to be able to differentiate between threat and non-threat, you will probably want something in the 6-8x range. One of the advantages in magnification is spotting strike of round. While the targets may be successfully engaged with non-magnified sighting solutions, being able to see where the rounds are going is nice for immediate self-spotting. It isn't always possible though.

If the target is partially obscured, camouflaged, or needs to be accurately ranged with reticle relationship, something in the 10(+) area is generally favorable.

Most "precision" rifle work, even in the military, is at under 600 meters, and the go-to magnification range is between 10 and 18. Most 3-gunners will be proficient at shooting 1/2 sized steel IPSC targets at 300 to 500 meters, and most of them are using 4x, 1-4x or 1-6x optics.

At ranges past 250 meters, wind is a significant factor. A reticle that supports rapid hold-offs for wind is an advantage over those that do not, or that require you to spin dials.

There is a lot of room between "shooting out to 500 yards" and "fighting out to 500 yards". I've been on both sides of that coin, and both hold value, but only you know your application.

In short, if you want a general purpose optic for 1/2 sized IPSC or BCC targets, I recommend a 4x, 1-4x or 1-6x with a usable reticle. You can certainly step up in magnification or go with a fixed magnification optic if close/closer range is not a factor in your decision. Frankly, I find reticles to be more important than a few more increments of magnification.

[Crow Hunter]

Smallest would be about person-size at 500m. That is the only target I care about hitting right now. Anything shorter I want I can iron sight and anything longer I don't want to spend the money to upgrade everything required.

Person sized target standing up in the open or a person sized target peeping up over cover?

Do you need to know if said person is wearing a certain uniform or is armed or who he is or what time it is on the watch he is wearing?

The best "rule of thumb" that I have seen is to take what you want to be able to shoot, look at said target at 100 yards. Then multiply/divide to find out what power optic you will need to get the target discrimination/definition to make the shot you need to make. Then buy the highest quality optic and mount you can afford to match your requirements.

For instance if you can see the target you want to shoot at 100 yards with your naked eye and you want to be able to see that target at 500 yards, you will need the minimum of a 5X optic. If you can only see what you need to see at 50 yards, you will need to get a 10X optic.

A magnified optic only allows you to see your target better, other than having marks that can help you with holdovers/windage it won't make it any "easier" to actually hit your target. In my experience, it often makes it "harder" because you will start seeing your heartbeat/swaying and cause you to rush a shot or not follow good fundamentals and miss.